Welcome!

Back in 2001, as The World Trade Centers crumbled, I sought out one thing to make me feel better: a hug.

That embrace...that interaction...that bit of human connection broke though the anguish and tension of the moment and made me feel better..just for a moment.

Right then, I made it my goal to to do what I could repair the fabric of humanity by simply reaching out to embrace strangers.

It hasn't been easy - but I've evolved a lot since '01 and can now proudly display a map of all the places where I have been/hugged or been contacted from since then.

With 50 states and almost as many countries ticked off- this map isn’t an egotistical “Hug-&-Tell” prop for me- it is a testament to what one raw idea can lead to because each map marker is representative of a human...“stitch” in the fabric of humanity.

Building this map hasn’t been easy but, nothing I’ve ever attempted has been as fulfilling.

So again, welcome to my site - poke around and read some stories or check out some pictures but more than anything: Be inspired.

Hugs and High5s

Big Dave

Red is where I bicycled.

Astoria, Oregon to Philadelphia.

Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa.

Istanbul, Turkey to Beijing, China.

San Diego, California to New York City.

Minneapolis, Minnesota to Philadelphia.

Sydney, Australia to Melbourne, Australia.

Black and Green are where I drove.

San Bernardino, California to Chicago, Illinois.

The continental 48 States.

The points are where someone read my book or reached out to me about my story.